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Lost in Greycott
Preface On the edge of the continent of Dawnforge is the lonely town of Greycott, deep in Mirningshire. The party assembled helping save a certain merchant's daughter, and now they're stuck together. They are; * Marbumli Rubygut * Eustace Bogside * Carison Tyloth * Abel Redwood * Sykil * Thraed Skullkrusha Lost in Greycott Arc One - Welcome to Greycott Recaps - Arc One Session 1 - All is Illusion Scattered around Mirningshire without even knowing it, the soon-to-be party are forming. Marbumli Rubygut joins in the Saniris celebrations of a tavern fight deep in the night at the Brawl & Fall when he rolls down the embankment and upon a dead body. Aiming to see who it was, the dead man spat salt and sand in his face... less of a man and more of a Half-Elf. The dead man was a survivor of a shipwreck, calling himself Sykil. The two got to talking before a commotion was heard; a familiar face to both of them, master Meyhem van Loren was looking for muscle for an urgent job to help his friend, Xymena de Sepulvada. Given Meyhem was Xymena's colleague who in turn was Marbumli's patron and fixer, and Meyhem was the owner of the ship Sykil was wrecked on, they agreed. Eustace Bogside, a struggling recent divorcee wakes up in a cot he scrounged together in the back of his failed tavern's storage room. It's the first day of Saniris, the season of blossoms and the long winter is finally over and he can resume his job fishing. Except today he had no plan to join the fleet, no, today was the today he was going to find the monstrous whore of a harpy-thing that seduced him away from his wife and ruined his marriage. So when he found her up the river, he wasn't expecting a sudden surge of water to pick him up and dash him and the company's boat on the rocks. The last thing he heard was the shrill laughter of the harpy-thing, victorious for a second time. Later up that same river, Marbumli and Sykil find a dead body floating in the Kingfisher. Again, not a dead body, but instead of a Half-Elf it was a crochety old man whose face was constantly upturned in disgust. Eustace had a hand up to the ship where he met the others and a certain master Meyhem. Eustace was essentially roped into helping the crew with this job. Meanwhile, at an inn along the crossroads, a travelling sage and cleric meet while trying to make way to Greycott. Abel Redwood and Carison Tyloth, who could not be more opposites in age, religion and sense of dress, became acquainted with one another. They found themselves both heading to Greycott, a rather insular and foreboding town, which gave them enough in common. They found company with a wandering band of Half-Elves who took them as far as Peachtrees, a backwater hamlet with a tiny port attached. It was that tiny port that heralded events soon to come, for a glorious sloop was docked. Carison and Abel were ambushed by Meyhem van Loren, revealing himself to be the captain and owner of the Lady Lebioda. They wanted passage to Greycott, and he would offer it not for gold, but for help. This was not a simple journey, but a rescue. Aboard the Lady, the party met proper. Here among them was Meyhem's quartermaster, Solomons, and his first mate Davil was elsewhere. The job was simple; a group of brigands had kidnapped Xymena's only daughter Xara and taken her north of their home. Meyhem had the ship double-back towards Greycott to cut off the brigands and find Xara. Solomons was indifferent to the party; none of them seemed like professionals, where he was a trained slayer. Experience born and bought in blood, some would say. The party got to know each other over horns of ale Meyhem provided, before the clouds started to turn black and heavy, cold and angry. A storm began, no doubt beckoning the arrival of the spring season, but a worse time there could never be. The storm threw the ship around while the party struggled to help the cragsmen; Eustace went to strike the topsail, Carison battened the hatches, Marbumli helped Meyhem with the wheel while Abel and Bue went downstairs to deal with the loose cargo. Madness around them, all they could do was embrace the chaos as Meyhem took to shouting into the wind. As quickly as the storm started, it vanished, leaving the ship becalmed in mist. They were in an oxbow, an inlet in the deep woods and off course. Meyhem's compass was spinning uncontrollably. Solomons got the attention of everyone and mentioned that Davil had locked his door and wasn't answering; he must've had fallen unconscious in the storm. Marbumli and Eustace knocked it down when a dead girl slumped down to the floor while the sailor Davil sat on the other side, silent. "Seems we're fucked," broke the silence through Solomons' quip. Meyhem drew a sword to his quartermaster's throat while the party watched, confused. The girl was not meant to be there and she was dead. Solomons slowly explained that Xymena's daughter was not taken by brigands, but a dryad. Dryads reproduce by abducting and turning Elven girls into one of their own... and Solomons came prepared by taking another dryad's child to bargain with, up until Davil killed her in a scuffle to escape. Over a fallen tree, something was watching them, before turning away and running. A fox, it seemed like, but Meyhem loudly quipped "Twenty years I've been sailing on rivers. Twenty years because my wife said it's safer than the open ocean. Now we're being hunted by a fucking dæmon." Before justice could be dealt, the sloop crashed into a decaying ship lost and stuck in the bog. The party were knocked around, but a scream alerted them to a cragsman being dragged overboard by muddy, slimy hands. Zombies began to climb aboard from the bog, as a graveyard of dead ships lurked around them. They were trapped and the only way out was through. The party showed their mettle by fighting the zombies, impressing Meyhem and Solomons some. While the cragsmen were trying to loosen the sloop from the dead ship, more zombies clambered aboard, including a massive bloated orc who smashed Meyhem across the deck of the ship. With a few handy spells, the beast was defeated. There was no time for celebration as Solomons turned his nose to the wind and pointed at a smoke signal nearby. Must be the "brigands" he had looking for the girl. The party followed Solomons to the woods and into the bog where his men were waiting, but all they found was destruction. The mercenaries had been slain by something with terrible slashing claws, leaving all but one alive. While Solomons was trying to track the beast, the others spoke to the dead man. He spoke truthfully, claiming "It would never work, giving the girl to a dryad? It'd never work." He spoke about someone named Petyr, revealing it to be Solomons first name. The party relented and followed Solomons deeper into the swamp, waiting for an opportunity. The tracks were not left by a dryad, no, dryads walk with the forest, not through it. This was made by something more monstrous. Something that must have made a home in a cave, cackling as drowners rose out of the swampwater. "Bilge hag," muttered Solomons as he drew his greatsword, before the party were mobbed by drowners and the hag. The hag submerged herself into the mud and launched a surprise attack, before blinding Marbumli by flinging mud. The others were going to help the ambushed Eustace as Solomons was swarmed with drowners. Bue had the genius to cast Sleep putting the hag to sleep successfully... as well as Eustace. Carison lumbered over, dagger in hand ready to slit the hag's throat... and missed, as she woke up now angry and on her back. So while she was on her back, Bue and Abel set her on fire, landing squarely on Eustace. The others had a good chuckle at this, before seeing Solomons run into the hag's cave. Inside was a collection of odd items, where on the far side in the darkness was a wooden cage that Solomons was prying open. Inside was a young girl, seemingly so human in her weakness you couldn't tell she was part Elf. So when Solomons wrenched her hair and put a blade to her throat, the party knew they were in trouble. Solomons was a seasoned veteran, a cruel man willing to do whatever it took to survive. He had a hunch the party were in the know of his plan, so he needed to make an escape. In exchange for the life of Xara, he would walk away. The party, despite outnumbering him, couldn't risk the girl's life and let him leave. The woods are deep and dark, but they never seemed darker until that day. The party returned to the ship, victorious, but there was no celebration. The ship was silent and waiting, the good Lady quiet. Onboard the ship, Meyhem held the dead dryad girl in his arms while he was gathered among the other crags. Davil was sweating loud and nervously as the party turned their attention to the other side of the ship. Waiting for them was a silent, beautiful creature, born of mist, fur and leaves. It was the dryad, waiting silently. Meyhem didn't know what to do, so the party told him to give her back her child. He hesitated and complied, seeing no other way to save his crew. She finally spoke, claiming that she would be back for them. Davil saw this as a chance to strike and run. As Davil tried to flee away and strike the dryad, he kept running. He fell into the swamp and continued to run before the mud seemed intent on swallowing him alive. Black leeches, massive weasels of slippery meat, began to swarm him, choke him and finally suffocate him. The dryad was gone and the ship returned to Greycott in silence. As dusk fell, the harbour was waiting for them. There stood a few dozen cragsmen, villagers and tired crownsguard waiting for Meyhem's arrival, to see if the party were victorious. Xymena herself was there, and while she was not a massive woman she held an aura that commanded others. It was only when her daughter rushed to her side did she deflate, realizing the party really did come out victorious. Elves are taught to give in to the whims of the Fey, that once a child is taken that's it. Something ends, something begins. She owed the party drinks for defying fate, to which Meyhem called for a feast and to "never let these vagabonds pay for their own drinks while I live and breathe." In the Groggy Ghoul the party got proper acquainted and turned in to rest after a hardy feast. In the night, in their own private rooms, they were visited. The dryad returned, claiming she would come back for them, but she did not know why. To say goodbye, she said, for her to say goodbye. "Her" being the dryad girl thought killed, to which it was a deception; an illusion. Their kind had their own world once, but now they were trapped here in a world of men, and ships, and monsters. One gift, she said, one gift she would grant the party; touch her hand. To see the oldest of worlds, the eldest of secrets and know the truth... ... the truth that All is Illusion, as the party each phased through the dryad's apparition and into the hallway, busting down each of their doors as they did. The party will return in Session 2. Session 2 - Come & See This session took place from the 1st Jomuer to the 1st Gol of Serenity, 4388, ending at midnight outside the Mausoleum. After searching their rooms for evidence of the dryad ever existing, the party retire back to sleep-- first making sure no demons or fey were under their beds. That morning they had a hearty breakfast before seeing Ser Gorrister von Goetia enter. Deciding to entertain the idea of taking up bounties, they spoke to him about their options. The captain mentioned Roenna, the Woodswraith, was accused of kidnapping someone that a farmer boy reported. The party thought this would help their growing reputation in town. Gorrister knew they were strangers and new to town, so he asked a peculiar question; any odd dreams? He had one such dream that was more like a message; "come see the dead dance at midnight" was carved into a stone wall, where some kind of flag or banner flapped in the breeze near it. The party kept this in mind as they left on their quest. After gathering some supplies in town and meeting the quirky owner of the nameless Store, Winston Weirdbottle, the party made passage to the Dreadwood where the woodswraith would be. Along the way they saw the farms extend close to, but not near enough to the woods to warrant any screams heard. Some rangers from the nearby Waycastle had finished a patrol in time to warn the party; do not go any deeper than the outer fringes of the Dread, and never fall asleep inside. The ranger who warned them of this was none other than Kiara Shadowhand, the leading ranger. Through the Dreadwood they kept true to her advice and only sought after the woodswraith when the solitary column of smoke from a campfire led them to her cabin. It was one of mediocre size, but the sign outside that said "wait here" was quickly ignored when screams and the thumping of wood was heard inside. Bashing down the door and into the backroom revealed a hatchdoor where a young woman was trying to force her way out. Rather than let her out, the party actually adhered to the sign and waited to speak to Roenna. When a fox snuck up on them, turned and transformed, they found her. She explained the "woman" was a Bruxa, a type of succubus-like vampire. Being a woman, the Bruxa's magic had no effect on her and she subdued her to study the creature. She thanked the party for not barging into her home to free the vampire and possibly ruin her study, rewarding them some alchemical herbs. The party thought to investigate who could have reported this odd occurrence; the farms were nowhere near this cabin, who could have done this? All they had was a name; Mikael. The party spent the afternoon looking for this man, and found him among friends. They looked to be an unsavory type but when pressed Mikael revealed he was seeing the Bruxa; he called her Natalis. Fang marks on his neck proved the fact. The party warned his fellows to stay away from him, but some of them were convinced that the party was sowing distrust. One of them, a cutthroat by the looks-- more blackguard than farmer, seemed intent on defending his friend's honour and was looking for a fight. Bue instead decided to defuse the situation and move the party away and back to town. There they told Gorrister of the events and that Roenna (however Peculiar) was just being inquisitive. Gorrister laughted at them, before realizing they were serious. He would investigate the matter of Mikael possibly being a thrall, but the party wanted to rest at the Ghoul to prepare for the next day's ordeals. They enjoyed dinner and the company of Meyhem before retiring to sleep-- until Carison was awoken by the dream that Gorrister suffered from. Indeed it was less of a dream and more of a message, like someone trying to reach out and lead him somewhere. The party begrudgingly followed, trying to find the dancing dead. Of all the places that had drab black walls and flying banners, the only one that fit the description was the Mausoleum. Separated on a central islet across Brideswallow Bridge, the Mausoleum serves as the town library, mortuary and meeting hall. The party chased one another down when they decided to sneak towards it. There, just as described, was the dead dancing at midnight. Dressed in plain clothes to hide their bleached-white bone, the skeletons played music and danced along to it. Like scarecrows, their faces hidden behind burlap and straw. And to who they danced for? A tiny girl-child with skin the shade of violets, and hair as white as Aerunnean snow. She pointed towards the front door, where another Drow was waiting. Obscured by darkness, the party met Lorelei Somersday. They'll return in Session 3. Session 3 - Dogma This session took place from the 1st Gol to the 1st Moltes of Serenity, 4388, ending at the Bogside Bar as the party interrogate Crowley. Inside the Mausoleum was Lorelei Somersday, the town's death priest. She clearly wasn't a Gevrauchian, instead clearly a free agent and a Drow possessing common sense. She lead them inside and explained that she wasn't alone, but was seeking help. "Come see the dead dance" was a message for someone to solve, someone like a certain diviner. Deeper within the grand hall revealed a staircase below to a mortuary; Lorelei's office. There waiting was the wafting smell of herbs to cover the decaying dead... and a hobgoblin? Indeed waiting there was a creature aptly named Thraed Skullkrusha; an agent of no faction in Greycott. He claimed he was here to help. Lorelei thusly explained the following; something was happening to people's dreams-- they are like a net, a web connected, but something was caught inside. Tangled. With enough people dreaming of this one image, it may desire to leave the net and obtain a vessel. Of course, Marbumli was more interested in why Skoleada was here. Lorelei said she was the first victim. There was little other information Lorelei could offer besides that Valori van Loren, Meyhem's wife, confided in her that she suffers from sleepwalking. The party realized it was far too late to talk to her now, and bid the Drow death priest a pleasant evening. Walking back to the Ghoul they were ambushed by a certain captain of the guard upon a large buffalo. Gorrister had come to inform them that he had just found Mikael and thrown him into a dungeon to cool off. He wanted to know more, and the party obliged. Sure they were threatened, but by who? They explained it was a human man wearing twin daggers on his belt and he most definitely didn't seem like a farmer. Krev Shenker, known as "Whoresbane" on account of him getting away with the murder of one. Gorrister tried to bring him to justice, but Krev was a recruiter for the Zhentarim-- the Black Network. Gorrister huffed at the thought of an anti-adventurer and anti-demihuman organization taking strides in Greycott. Sure they had the capacity for violence, but they used it towards bettering Dawnforge. Gorrister warned them only once, that he plays his game and all adventurers play theirs; but if they maim, assault or murder anyone who isn't a player of this here game? They wouldn't want to find out. Gorrister bid them a pleasant evening and rode off. The party continued to the Ghoul before finding Angus asleep sitting up and muttering. He gave them a room and the party went to bed. In the morning, the party visited Valori van Loren. On the way there they found the van Loren estate on the waterfront of Grimwade Harbour. Meyhem was leaning out a window, barking orders at the gathered cragsmen. When he saw the encroaching adventurers, he felt the best choice of action was to leap out the window. While still brushing twigs and leaves out of his hair, the party asked if they could speak to his wife. The veneer dropped. Meyhem scowled at them as they tried to explain what they heard. Meyhem didn't take anyone talking about his wife behind their back as meaning anything good, but he relented and brought her to them. Valori wasn't a common peasant woman but a distinctly noble woman, whose beauty could only be described in superlatives. She was confused why adventurers would ever seek to speak with her, but they explained they were talking to Lorelei. Realizing it must be serious if Lorelei shared secrets in confidence, she explained that not only did she sleepwalk, she drew sketches using charcoal. Her ghostly butler found the sketches, revealing them all to be one image; an eye similar to that of a snake, with a central vertical slit within. The party kept one and bid her a good day. The next task was to speak to Grimes, whose family was taken. The Brawl & Fall was a rickety tavern with a sinister reputation. The door was barred by a full-blooded Orc who seemed to refuse entry to Marbumli. When Marbumli began to complain, the owner of the tavern made his appearance. Mother's Milk is best described as a stranger in a strange land. Obviously a Vargossean, he was a human covered in black tattoos that made him look skeletal and gaunt in nature. A turban around his head partially concealed two horns of bone like that of a deer. The party daren't ask what a Vargossean was. When he invited them inside, he offered them bread. White or brown? It didn't matter, but the party were confused why he was operating a bakery when this place was obviously a tavern. So when he revealed that white bread was gin and brown bread was rum, they were satisfied with his answer. He pointed them towards Grimes, a half-orc drowning his sorrows in the corner. Speaking to him revealed little; his kids Hugo and Vigo were missing, taken, and he did nothing but drink about it. Grimes mentioned his home was on the derelict side of town known as the Hollow. They bid good day to Grimes and Mother's Milk, and left for Trollskull Street. Trollskull Street was the centre of the Hollow, and a place of oddities. The first oddity was the Bogside Bar and Inn, which struck a note; wasn't Eustace's last name Bogside? Inside was Crowley, undoubtably Eustace's son. He became doubly as timid than usual when he saw adventurers with casters among them, but it was clear he was hiding something concerning the disappearance of Hugo and Vigo. He asked the party a simple question; do you know a Krev Shenker? The party will return in Session 4. Session 4 - Vereor Nox This session took place on the 1st Moltes of Serenity, 4388, ending just outside the Guardtower. Just now, the party just heard the name "Krev Shenker" from Crowley's lips. While Sykil was confused momentarily, it only took a moment for Crowley to twist the Half-Elf's small-finger back to his wrist, knee him in the ribs and take up a defensive stance all within two seconds. Given the party's desire not to spill the blood of a child of one of their compatriots, they needed more information. Someone wearing two daggers was seen outside Grimes' home, and nobody in town wore two daggers except for the Whoresbane. The party thought this could be an illusion, a lie, but the Whoresbane had no love for non-humans. They let Crowley be and left to investigate Grimes' home. Most of the houses in Trollskull Street were of odd construction; a dome there, a shack here, it was as if everyone brought a different piece of their homeland through architecture. Grimes' home suggested one from Naharis, a long way from here. It was of simple clay and wood, but inside was nothing special. A few cots, footlockers, an empty firepit and blood on the wall. While the party was investigating some crags approached wondering what they were doing in Grimes' home? The party was honest; investigating the missing kids. In turn the crags were honest; Grimes was not a good father. The kids left on their own volition. The cragsmen (named Crowfood and Mors) left the party to their investigation. But the party wondered still; what did the Whoresbane have to do with it? Next course of action was to let Ser Gorrister know they elected to possibly commit vigilante justice. They looked first at the Grimwade where a mighty commotion was heard; a whale had been caught by the Primewater Fleet, and Ser Karl was cheering on his fishermen. A feast was to be had, for such a bountiful catch was the blessing of the Sea Mother. For whatever reason the party thought this might be a deceit, and Thraed approached the paladin; Ser Karl explained that tensions were high in the town. A whale caught must be a sign from the Sea Mother, which was doubly as odd as Karl was a paladin of Talanas, of the Radiant Phoenix. The party found Gorrister nearby and told him of their intentions, but Gorrister warned them firmly; they can play their game but if they kill anyone who isn't a part of it, he'll find them. He gave them his blessing to find the kids but let no harm come to them. He mentioned that the Whoresbane would often be found on the east path outside of Greycott to the farms. There on the horizon was Savallach Manor and the Dreadwood. Well, it was a lead. The party got some supplies from Winston and headed out. Along the way they heard struggling and the sound of splashing water. There they saw a group of goblinoids dunking a human into the sea. They claimed that he was a sneak thief and hid something from them that they intended to find. The hobgoblin in the party noticed their armour suggested they were of Harblud, a deserter legion. The goblins relented and handed over the crook to the party; his name was Kenard and he was a bit of an asshole. Seemingly an addict, he had stolen precious wine from the legion and fled to Savallach to sleep it off. He saw a monster, fled, and was abducted by the legion. This surprised the party; why was this man wandering near the Dreadwood where a legion of goblins lay? How did he steal from them? He explained he was looking for caches that smugglers would bury when he stole the wine and ran. With hesitation he agreed to take them to Savallach Manor. The manor was decrepit and burnt standing on a lonely hill where nothing grew around it. A crumbling wall defending nothing but ghosts and cobwebs. Inside was a yard that could have been beautiful once, an empty well, dried fountain and what seemed to be a shed. On the far end was a dead campfire where the empty wine bottle proved Kenard was here. "Tears of a Fallen Goddess" was embellished on the side, which seemed to mean something to Sykil. The shed was unlocked and ruined, but inside a thick, black and writhing mold grew. Deeper down the shed, a steady knocking sound was heard. With a mix of curiosity the party looked around while Carison touched the mold with a stick-- then was yanked towards it with surprising speed. The party watched in horror as Carison leapt back to find the black mold slip under his fingernails and disappear. The party had the unanimous desire to get out and fix Carison and hopefully never return. Plus there was a feast in town tonight they didn't want to miss. Back in Greycott at the Temple, Carison was cured by the healers there while the others delivered Kenard to Gorrister. Gorrister had little time for scum like him and would rather find the smugglers dealing the contraband one would get high off on, but he thanked the party still. The party will return in Session 5. Session 5 - The Rotting Earth This session took place from the 1st Moltes of Serenity, 4388, to the midnight of that same day as the party retire to sleep. Perhaps a mistake was made immediately this session as Gorrister asked the party if they killed Petyr Solomons. They confessed they let him go into the woods, and he was living still. Gorrister mentioned nothing more. With time to burn before the feast, the party left for Savallach Manor yet another time. They dared to explore deeper inside the cellar when the rhythmic thumping continued. Ignoring the distant screams echoing throughout, they noticed something odd; the main door to the manor had a wolf carved into it missing its head. Down in the cellar was a locked door where a three-headed wolf was carved upon it. There attached was one of the three heads that Marbumli peeled off. Then everything went to hell. The door triggered something that drove the mold crazy as the nearby door was broken down. A shambling creature came through, something so erroneous it should not exist. A writhing form of black, worming mold surrounding what might have been a human once. The party ran up the stairs to the yard as the mold revealed more and more of these monsters. The party were surrounded in the yard and finally had an opportunity to stretch their sword-arms. The creatures weren't very intelligent but had horrible slashing talons and some would spew rot-grubs. The party managed to defeat them and had a quick break before using the wolf's head emblem to open the main door into the manor. While the manor was burnt and destroyed, it seems that it still maintained its shape. How it did this was through the entire inside being covered in the same black mold the monsters were born from. Investigating the inside they found a few odd objects before they were ambushed again. This time they knew what to expect, but luck was not on their side. Carison and Thraed were downed, leaving Marbumli to pick them up and try to flee. What they didn't expect was the monsters to slip into one central pile and reveal a massive monster clad in robes of crimson. The monster stood easily as two metres tall, but instead of brute strength it cut off its leg and arm and threw them at Marbumli. The party took this as a sign to run. Carison instead stopped, turned around and launched a firebolt through the monster's faceless head. The creature stumbled, almost unsure and unbelieving it was dead. The party elected to celebrate back in town with the feast. The sinister secret of Savallach could wait. The feast was already underway as all manner of local had gathered here. The faction leaders were present as the whale was butchered and served up with healthy amounts of grog. The party split up to get a lay of the land. Gorrister and Meyhem settled their differences, if only for a night, and drank together. Xymena harassed Marbumli, asking why he was working with Gorrister and not her. She didn't hide her opinion of Gorrister, claiming he is a stooge of the King and he doesn't care about the town. Meanwhile Carison amused passing children with tricks from his pipe-smoke, before he noticed a contingent of cragsmen leaving the bridge for the Grimwade. Carison again noted they were leaving gifts for a solitary figure on the beach. Carison had to have a look, and noticed it was an elderly Triton male. A local folk hero it would seem; him being a true servant of Zamanthras, no doubt the locals were grateful for the bounty. His name was Ferrin Brinebeard and he seemed to be a kindly sort. Meanwhile Thraed took some time to meditate where he saw the Dwarf-lord Cayde Copperclaw speaking with a woman clad all in black. He heard some chunks of what he was saying; mine, infestation, collapse. Marbumli had barely budged when he was approached by an older human woman. She was courteous to a degree, offering Marbumli wine in exchange for a question; what became of her son? Her name was Lady Valkyr Solomons, a local shipwright and mother of Petyr Solomons. Marbumli confessed he'd like to kill the man, but he let him live. Valkyr would not soon forget this encounter. Later the party regrouped for a game of Goat Rodeo; the goal being to put pants on a fighting goat. Somehow Marbumli wrestled it and won way too fast. Meyhem was unsatisfied and challenged anyone for a fistfight, to which Thraed took up the offer. Turns out Meyhem is a master pugilist, and Thraed didn't have much fun being thrashed. He surrendered before any bones were broken. The feast was dying down and only the mad remained to stay and drink, so the party went to the Ghoul... where Lady Grey was enjoying a late night meal. She seemed quiet, sad and strong. The party went to sleep to await the trials of the wars to come. They'll return in Session 6. Session 6 - Lords in Low Places This session took place on the 1st Luvos of Serenity, 4388, with the party separated around Greycott. With breakfast in their bellies and aches in their heads, the party desired nothing more than a good fight. The townspeople were in a general state of disarray given the feast lasting beyond the limits of any reasonable hour. The party split up; some went shopping while Marbumli went to talk to Xymena about a job. Xymena had an operation in the Ribs where divers would find pearls in the lagoons, but it seemed they stopped coming back up. Her best man, a dwarf from the badlands named Voycek, was among them. The job was to bring them back or stop whatever was halting the operation. Marbumli took up the task and rejoined the party to inform them of such. After grabbing some equipment, the party was off to the Ribs. A disgusting expanse of swamplands, ancient ruins and the eldritch made it a place best left alone-- unless you were a Rubygut, then you took off marching joyfully into your ancestral homeland. Xymena told Marbumli to find a glade with a deceptively deep lagoon and a campsite. The campsite was abandoned and the tracks seemed to only lead into the lagoon. Down below was a murky blackness; what was thought to be a lagoon was truly a subterranean lake. Where it lead, only the dwarf dared dive as he went in first as the vanguard. The others followed soon after to discover some kind of rift carved into a cave. Following it led to a dilapidated temple, where imagery of the Flayed God appeared. Worst still, filth and refuse scoured the place. Something was living here. The nearby sahuagin proved this theory. Marbumli actually tried to reason with them, but the party refused to lay down their weapons in parlay. It seemed violence was unavoidable. Among the sahuagin were a shaman, a squid-thing and a shark-man. They were no match for the party but the heroes realized they were just being worn down. They would have to find the divers another time. As they fled, out of the corner of their eye they glimpsed two men in linen wrap staring at them. Back above at the campsite, the party rested before getting the hell out of dodge. The Ribs proved keen to keep them in its grasp as they were ambushed by a tricky jelly using a corpse as a lure. The party elected to run and keep running till they found themselves at Greycott's gate. Before the party went to split up, they found Xymena and told her the news. Meanwhile, the nearby villagers of Greycott parted to allow something through. The party watched as horses, goats, dogs, cats, mice and even birds began to wander towards Lady Grey's cottage. The party found Winston talking to a young child, telling them to "let it go." Let what go? A dead rabbit tried to claw its way out of the child's hands as they finally relented. The rabbit joined the parade of the dead. Winston explained that since the winter was over, the graves must have thawed. Lady Grey had dominion over the dead, and any animal passed to the next world was her territory. This was only made more sinister as a dead dog sat outside and watched, as if to listen intently. The party will return in Session 7. Session 7 - A Land of Monsters This session took place on the 1st Luvos of Serenity, ending as the party rowed out to meet half a ship. We begin the session spread a little thin. Thraed decided to meet this Lady Grey, while Carison was having a drink in the Ghoul. Nearby, Sykil and Marbumli argued with Winston over bartering some goods. Thraed marched behind a crowd of undead animals while the rain seemed intent on holding him down. He found Lady Grey's small estate alone on a hill known as the Leap. There, in the rain and the cold among the dead, Thraed found Lady Grey tending to the dead beasts. In her homeland, life was sacred, even that of mere animals. They were given shallow graves during the winter but now with them thawed she had only wanted to pay them their proper respects. Through conversation, Thraed found her to be quite odd, but desired something a bit more than just conversation. Back in the Ghoul, a scene was forming. A woman clearly of Djaalic descent was being harassed by a crownsguard for not paying for her meal, to which she exclaimed that she was a guest and should be owed at least a meal. Carison decided to play the example of a Dawnforger gentleman and paid for her meal. She explained her ship crashed and she was without a single copper to her name. When further pressed, her name was Jasna, and she wasn't exactly worried about that ship since she was a slave upon it. Carison bid her good day when he bumped into a man entering as he was leaving. They both excused themselves and when Carison went to check his coinpurse, he instead found a note slipped into his grasp. "The guard is edging a loyalist riot today. Watch out." With that in mind, he regrouped with Marbumli and Sykil, who were done shopping. The note's contents were revealed to them; it seemed like a warning but also an invitation to... do something about it. They would discuss this with the full party, but first they'd have to see if Thraed did anything to anger Lady Grey. The rain did nothing to ease the tension. Thraed was having a pleasant conversation about the state of Greycott and Lady Grey's rulership-- which really wasn't a rulership but her use of the undead made a lot of people happy. And annoyed. Apparently the commonfolk don't like it when they watch decaying animals march through the streets. She explained she wanted them to see, see the nature of undeath. It was at this time the party caught up with them, just as Thraed pledged fealty to Lady Grey. It would seem that Thraed wanted to uphold the status quo, and decided that Lady Grey was the one to do so. The others were somewhat perturbed, seeing as they knew nothing about her. She said it herself; she was a monster. The party's allegiances were split; oaths to Lady Grey, help given to the Crownsguard and some ties to the House of Splendour, it seemed the party would need to pick a hill to fight on. Maybe even die for. Satisfied with the damage it did, the rain finally let up. Carison intended to find Jasna so they could find out more about the slaveship. Angus told him that she went to find another Boletarian; the local blacksmith. There they found him to also be a Muraskan like her; he tried his best to be a saleman but the party was intent on just talking to Jasna. She crashed just east of Greycott, along the path to Savallach Manor. On the way to said crash the party found Trollskull Street to be more active than usual seeing as some renovations were afoot. Turns out the particular woodswraith Peculiar Roenna was moving into the street. The party asked how she was going with the whole "vampire in the basement" thing. Turns out she neutralized it and "cut her open." She desired to move into town to get more accustomed to society and maybe learn something new. When the party asked about her allegiances, she said she had none and would rather not choose at all. Finally finding someone with a hint of neutrality, the party asked her what this whole thing about loyalists and traditionalists meant. Turns out it was just the divide in thinking in Greycott; traditionalists were those who wanted the town to remain the same, and loyalists were loyal to the church and crown, most of them being new arrivals. So given the party were forming allegiances each faction's leaders, something was bound to explode. The party bid Roenna a good day, and went on east. There along the old road they found half a ship floating out to sea, and another half beached upon the grey sand. It would have been too easy if the ship was empty as the party found shambling zombies feasting upon the still-chained slaves. They were easily dispatched, until the ship's captain appeared. In death he was turned into some kind of bloodsucking ghoul who had far too much dexterity given his decay. Things could be worse. And worsen they did when the zombies got back up when they were knocked down. Even with a second wave the party managed to defeat the dead thanks to jolly cooperation and violence. A chest of loot from the captain's quarters, some dimeritium manacles and a rowboat was ample reward. The party will return in Session 8. Session 8 - Get Up & Die This session took place from the 1st Luvos to the 1st Orez of Serenity, 4388, ending inside the garden of Savallach Manor around a burning corpse. The party row out to sea in search of anymore treasure or any clues concerning the crashed slaver ship. Rather cruelly the ship's name was the Beautiful Tragedy. Many of the slaves were missing as no more bodies washed ashore. It seemed that the ship was broken in half, yet from above. Worse still, the cargo hatch was ripped open. All of it together seemed... inhuman. Rowing back to shore the party took their hard fought loot to town. They spent some time talking to Xymena and Roenna before resting in the Ghoul. There Marbumli decided to see if anyone knew of Skoleada, the dwarf he was searching for. Turns out nobody did, but a friendly crownsguard pointed out that there was an investigator in town in service of Xymena; Voyceck. The party remembered that Voyceck was the missing dwarf in the drowned temple, so that was a problem. The conversations in the tavern were interrupted when Ser Gorrister entered, telling his men to mount up. Rangers had spotted something dangerous coming through the glades outside of town, far too close to comfort. The crownsguard were dispatched but the party was welcome to help. Outside of town the party had their own section to survey. Through the woods following the thinnest part of the river, they found a bend in the road where a wagon was overturned and pierced with black-feathered arrows. A solitary merchant lay dead with his back to a great oak as if he was resting, those same black-feathered arrows piercing him. Weirder still, the horses were missing and the footprints leading away weren't really footprints but more like pawprints. Seems like a mystery. Following the tracks led to a raging river, where across from the party were two horses tied to some kind of shrine. Struggling to cross the river the party found a hybrid wolf-creature staring back at them; a black-feathered arrow nocked in its bow. A second one emerged and the party found their shooters. The beasts were hybrids, some kind of wolf-dog-man thing. They seemed remotely intelligent as they fought cleverly, even using sleeping powder to conk Marbumli out of the fight. This didn't last as Sykil electrifed both of them to death. When Marbumli awoke, the fight was won, as a creature stepping out of the brush to thank them. The creature was humanoid, standing at six feet tall hunched over. It hobbled towards the party, its green scales shining in the midday light. The party found themselves looking at an elderly lizardman. Turns out Marbumli didn't like lizardfolk much and refused to say anything nice. The lizardman, Odredek, revealed the shrine was his and the monsters forced him from it. Odredek had never seen these beasts before, but they weren't normal therianthropes; they were animals first and hybrids second. The party decided to leave the shaman be and return to town, well before Gorrister or any of the other crownsguard had come back... just in time for the riot to reach its peak. The party heard an angry crowd from Grimwade lashing out at any undead scarecrows. With a small crew of guards who couldn't stop them, the loyalists riot was successful. Lady Grey's undead assets were shattered upon the black stone of the harbour. The party didn't care much for saving any undead from oblivion and decided to wait out the chaos at the Ghoul. Gorrister rushed back with a vanguard of crownsguard to stop the riot. The party watched on as he arrested a few dozen loyalists and dragged them back to the dungeon. A quiet moment allowed the party to talk to Gorrister about what they found in the woods; shapeshifters, Odredek and a slain caravan merchant. Gorrister nor any of the other guard found anything, which was quite suspicious seeing as this let the riot roam free. With nothing left to do but lick their wounds, the party fell into a deep slumber. The fights of the day tempered their resolve, through blood and sweat they were stronger for it. They awoke deep in the night, seeing as they went to bed in the early afternoon. In the deepnight there was no-one awake except for the barmaid Bonnie and some wandering crownsguard. Outside, on a night like this, the party couldn't resist going to Savallach Manor. What's a haunted house without darkness behind it? In the Savallach, the manor was eerily empty. The dead were killed long ago, leaving only ghosts and cobwebs. Looking around the downstairs rooms they found a secret door behind the suit of armour, where Carison inspected a chest and a painting of the Savallach family. Worryingly, the son had a sinister smile and his eyes seemed to follow whoever was closest. Carison turned it around to make the son face away from him, but when he looked back, the painting stared back at him. With two dog's emblems ready, the party went upstairs. Another locked door, this time with two dogs heads needed. Inside was a lounge room with a lit hearth and a closed door-- when the party listened at it, they heard soft gurgling and breathing. Peeking inside only creeped out the party more. Inside was a lavishly furnished bedroom where a woman clad in robes of red was sleeping next to a pustule anchored to a wall. It gurgled in rhythm to her breathing, chattering from its many toothy mouths while watching from lidless eyes of black. It was less of a pustule and more of a growth, some kind of aberration, forged of muscle, tendon, bone and organs. Curiously, Carison was the first to enter as he sneaked in as lightly as an old goat could manage. He snuck up to the woman to confirm she was indeed a cultist, same as the monstrous one from earlier that dismembered itself. She was sleeping beside a chain where a dog's head emblem and a key were attached. Marbumli tried to snatch it to no avail, so when Carison tried she awoke suddenly before screaming in the wizard's face. Whether from fear or as an intimidation tactic, the party were startled. Startled enough for her to smack Carison with the chain before diving for a hidden dagger. She gave the party quite some trouble, as the pustule reached out to grapple Carison while she stabbed and flailed at the party with surprising dexterity. It took the entire effort of the party to wittle her down before Hold Person paralyzed her long enough for the party to disarm and tie her up. Turns out she was insane. Had to be, considering she was living in a manor of the undead. The party talked to her after looting her of whatever they could find and dismembering the pustule. She didn't have a name besides something etched in the journal - Cirice of the Damned Savallach. The party realized they wouldn't get anything out of her, so Marbumli bashed her head in and dragged her to the courtyard where they set her on fire. She didn't even scream. The party will return in Session 9. Session 9 - A Righteous End to a Long Night Do you feel like a hero yet? This session took place on the 1st Orez of Serenity, 4388, ending inside the Groggy Ghoul with the party nursing their wounds. The session began with Thraed catching up with the party as he peeked over the manor wall. There he saw Marbumli, Sykil and Carison warming themselves by the burning corpse of the necromancer. He was taken aback, but who ever understands the motivations of adventurers? They had to slowly explain everything to the poor warlock before searching the manor a second time. This soon proved to be a horrible idea, dear reader. In the dead mansion the party thought that there must be further secrets, despite every instinct telling them to get out. They looted the room and searched for secrets, even tried to find out what the painting knew. All it did was stare at them... relentlessly so. In fact, it stared at all of them. Carison was enamoured and found a faint arcane trace, possibly a distant memory that the painting now contained. While he took the painting out of the frame, Sykil watched his back. Sykil felt a chill run down his spine when something whispered in his ear, begging him to turn around. Thraed meanwhile was banging on walls with Marbumli looking for secrets, but not many availed themselves to them. Not until they discovered a hollow wall where three skeletons were stashed, long since rotten and clearly forgotten to the world. They appeared human; a male, a female and a younger female. Three parts of the Savallach Family, possibly. So where was the son? When Sykil looked behind him, he could see a shadow slowly form a creature sit upon Marbumli's shadow, merely watching. Coupled with Carison slowly going mad wondering why the painting was looking at him, things couldn't possibly get worse. That was until the wall knocked back against Thraed, bowling him over onto his ass. Seems everyone but Marbumli was feeling this haunting, so they decided to get out. Collectively the party thought this was fucked and decided to leave the building. They elected to check out the cellar downstairs where they had finally acquired the three emblems needed. The memories of Savallach Manor would not soon leave them, but perhaps they could uncover its secret. Downstairs they realized something-- the mold was gone. The corpses were gone. The necromanceress of the Damned Savallach was gone. They were alone with nothing but wounds to prove any of this had ever happened. In the shed's basement the three-headed wolf revealed a wine cellar where an unconcious thinblooded orc was lying, tied up and forgotten by the world. A brief interrogation revealed he was Hugo, one of the two boys the party were trying to find. He said he was running away from Greycott when he rested here for the night and woke up like this. Seems he was telling the truth giving the scars from the binding. The boy Hugo began to search around the room, claiming his brother Vigo was dragged through here to what must be a hidden passageway. The party didn't believe him till he found a loose stone and opened a door, where the party was met with the smell of saltwater and smoke. Hugo ran off into the darkness while the party gave chase before realizing he wasn't running away but leading them somewhere. The cave was dark and damp, and on a night like this, unbelieveably cold. Hugo lead them to a warm campfire where some humanoids were waiting. One of them, no doubt the leader, seeing he was all garbed in black with slicked back blond hair and... and two daggers on his belt. The Whoresbane had made his appearance. Krev Shenker was a young man who could have been beautiful once but a life of violence had rendered his soul ugly. His slick, cool appearance resembled the foppish noble wandslingers of Aldwynn, but he was dressed all in black wearing a rictus grin upon his face. He welcomed the party like a flame welcomes a wandering moth. Category:Episodes